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An expanding world population and greater appreciation of the health benefits of consuming seafood have increased pressures on many wild fishery stocks up to and in some instances beyond their maximum sustainable yield. Despite this strong and growing interest in aquatic products it is predicted that world capture fisheries will remain relatively stable at 95 million tonnes annually while the demand for seafood increases to 180 million tonnes by 2030 (FAO, 2006). To meet this shortfall in supply, aquaculture production worldwide will have to increase substantially. Irish aquaculture production amounted to 57,422 tonnes valued at €124.6 million in 2006 and comprised 44,696 tonnes of shellfish and 12,726 tonnes of finfish valued at € 63.2 million and € 61.4 million respectively. In 2006 the aquaculture sector provided employment for over 2000 people and is recognised as one of the fastest growing food production sectors in Europe. |
Scallops |
| The objectives of the Aquaculture
and Fisheries section of CAMBio are to engage in marine biotechnology
research in support of this expansion in areas such as plankton monitoring,
harmful algal blooms, bacterial and viral monitoring, fish diseases,
new fish and shellfish feeds and the culture of marine bacteria, marine
fungi and other novel species. |
